


Counting Stars

by cordeliadelayne



Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU, Action/Adventure, Drama, F/M, demon hunting, jess is a hunter, what might have been
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-18
Updated: 2016-07-18
Packaged: 2018-07-24 11:44:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7506988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cordeliadelayne/pseuds/cordeliadelayne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jess lives and hunts with the boys. AU of course.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Counting Stars

**Author's Note:**

> Written for fhionnuiscetine as part of the Fall Fandom-Free-For All.
> 
> Originally posted to Livejournal in 2009.

Jess moved fast, slicing the demon’s throat with one fluid motion and then hitting the floor and rolling out of the way as another demon tried to break a chair on her back. She heard Sam’s cry and knew he was dealing with it so she focused on the reason they were in the bar in the first place.

Dean.

He was sitting stiffly on the floor, hands tied behind his back, blood dripping from a cut just above his eye. One large-set demon was standing in front of Dean, his back to Jess. There was no way she’d be a match in a straight out fight with him, but if she had the element of surprise…

But she was out of luck. With a leer that turned her blood to ice the demon turned around and, with his arm outstretched, held her frozen in place. Dean’s eyes widened and he started to shift along the floor, trying to distract the demon.

Luckily for them the demon had forgotten all about Sam. He appeared from nowhere, snatched the demon killing knife from Jess’ unmoving hand and plunged it straight into the demon’s heart before he had a chance to escape the human he was possessing.

Jess fell to the floor with a resounding thump, scraping her hands and knees against the broken glass that littered the ground.

Sam hurried over to her, kneeling down to check that she was okay. They both looked over at Dean, expressions warring from amused to exasperated.

“See,” Dean said with a grin, “I told you it would be easy.”

#####

“It’ll be easy,” Dean said. Sam and Jess just continued to stare at him.

“You always say that,” Sam pointed out. “And when has it actually been true?”

Dean leaned back on the bed, head resting against the pillow, legs stretched out before him. He was clearly taking the question very seriously.

Jess rolled her eyes good-naturedly and moved out of Sam’s arms, planting a kiss against the stubble on his cheek.

“I’m going to take a shower,” she told him.

Sam nodded and pulled her into a proper kiss, arms wrapped around her waist, before almost reluctantly letting her go.

“Ugh, get a room,” Dean grumbled.

“We have a room,” Jess replied. “You’re in it.”

Dean waved dismissively and Jess smiled.

“We really need to get you a girlfriend,” Sam said.

“Or a boyfriend,” Jess added, before ducking inside the bathroom.

She laughed as she heard Dean curse and something solid slam against the door.

######

As rain drops the size of golf balls slammed against the Impala’s door Jess, Sam and Dean ran for shelter inside the nearest diner. Jess shivered and moved closer to Sam who snaked his arms around her while Dean directed them to a booth.

“What can I get you folks?” the waitress asked, sauntering over to them with a pot of coffee in one hand.

“Coffee,” Sam said. “Lots and lots of coffee.”

“Sure thing, sugar. Anything else?”

“Is the pie good?” Dean asked, pointing over to the special’s board.

“Made it fresh myself this morning.”

“In that case, we’ll have a slice each.”

Neither Sam nor Jess blinked at Dean’s ordering for them but Jess did pick up a menu, looking for anything a bit healthier. She put it back without a word.

Maybe next time.

“So you really think the demon’s hiding the Colt in town somewhere?” Sam asked, once pie and coffee had been laid out and there was little chance of them being overheard.

“Yeah,” Dean replied through a mouthful of pie. “Oh, this is _good_ ,” he moaned. Jess took a sip of coffee and turned to look outside, hiding her smile. Sam reached over the table and took her hand, giving it a quick squeeze that Dean pretended not to see.

“So, what you got?” Sam asked.

Dean fumbled in his pocket and pulled out some newspaper clippings and sheets of information he’d printed off the internet.

“See these signs,” he said, pointing with his fork and dropping crumbs all over his research, “major demonic activity.” He pulled at their dad’s journal and flicked through it. “Same as every other time the Colt’s shown up.”

Sam nodded, impressed but not quite ready to let Dean see that yet.

“Okay, good enough for me. Jess?”

Jess scanned the documents but she didn’t need to. It was only on those thankfully rare suicidal missions that she ever voiced a truly dissenting opinion. And the Colt was too important to both brothers for her to ever deny them the chance of obtaining it.

“Sounds good to me. What’s the plan?”

Both boys relaxed marginally and leaned over the table.

“I say we go find a motel and grab some sleep,” Sam said. He raised a hand to forestall Dean’s automatic objection. “We’re exhausted. We can tackle the demon in the morning.”

#####

“I’ve never been so glad to see the morning,” Jess moaned. She lay back in the dirt of the cemetery, not caring that her hair and clothes already made her look like she’d fought a battle with a mudslide. And lost.

“Right back at you,” Dean replied. He flopped down to the ground next to her, both of them silent as they stared up at the sky.

Jess’ phone ringing startled them and she wriggled along the ground, trying to fish it out of the back pocket of her jeans. She punched Dean in the arm as he leered at her.

“Hey Sam,” she said into the phone. “Yeah, you destroyed it just in time…We’re fine, though Dean’s hurt his arm.” She glared at him and he wisely didn’t comment. “Yeah, we’ll be back soon. Meet you there…Love you too.”

Dean groaned and sat up. “Remind me again why we let you tag along?”

“Because I’ve saved your ass more times than I can count.”

Dean paused, as if considering it. “Yeah, that might be it.” He stood up and turned around, hand outstretched. She took it and let him pull her up.

“Come on,” he said. “Loverboy’s waiting.”

#####

“Come along, lover boy’s waiting.” The blonde demon’s eyes slicked black and Jess fought her rising panic. Sam and Dean were together. They’d be okay. They wouldn’t fall into such an obvious trap. “Make the call and bring them here.”

“Bite me,” Jess replied.

“Really, I expected more from you,” the demon purred, leaning down to whisper in Jess’ ear. “The Chosen One’s girlfriend ought to be just as special, shouldn’t she? Unless of course she has other talents I’m unaware of.” The demon pulled out her knife and moved it between Jess’ breasts, cutting buttons from her top as she did so. Jess daren’t breath as the demon leaned in to lick a line against her neck.

Muffled shouts outside brought the colour back to her cheeks. The demon stood up straight, knife dangling from her hand.

Jess turned to pull at the rope tying her hands behind her back; it was finally starting to give.

“Ruby!” Sam shouted. “Get the hell away from her.”

The demon threw her head back and laughed. “Really, Sam, you can do so much better.”

“I wouldn’t bet on it, bitch,” Dean growled. While Sam had been creating a distraction, Dean had been making his way behind Jess and now he reached for Ruby’s hand and twisted it so she was plunging the knife it held into her own stomach. “Say hi to Lucifer for me.”

All three of them watched, fascinated, as a light within the demon seemed to glow and she fell to the floor, host and demon both dead.

Dean picked up the knife and regarded it curiously. “Huh, guess this thing does work.”

#####

“Do you think it works?” Dean asked.

“A knife that can kill demons?” Jess asked. “I don’t know. Did your Dad ever mention anything about it?”

Sam, who had been flicking through their dad’s journal, despite knowing it word for word, shook his head. “Nothing.”

He looked over at Jess and Dean. Jess was standing awkwardly in the doorway, not quite sure whether or not she wanted to come in. Dean was sitting on the bed, cleaning his guns.

“Just because Dad didn’t know about it, doesn’t mean it’s not the real deal. Maybe we should trust her.”

Jess didn’t say anything and Dean just snorted. “Yeah, trust the demon. That sounds like a good idea.”

#####

“It sounds like a good idea, doesn’t it?” Ruby purred. “Being able to take out every demon that’s ever hurt you, hurt your family.”

Ruby leaned even further into Sam’s personal space and his eyes drifted, almost of their own volition, to the demon’s chest.

“And I should just believe you?” Sam asked. He glanced over at the table where a picture of Jess rested. Guilt flooded through him, even though he hadn’t done anything wrong.

Yet.

“I could always arrange a practical demonstration,” Ruby smiled. “I’m very flexible.”

“I just bet you are,” Jess growled. Ruby and Sam turned as one to the doorway. Jess was standing there, arms full of groceries with Dean bringing up the rear.

Sam swallowed hard. This really didn’t look good.

“Ruby,” he said. “This is Jess.”

#####

“This is Jess. My wife. We’re thinking of buying property in the area…”

Jess zoned out as Sam continued his usual patter. She marvelled at the ease with which each lie tripped off his tongue. If he could lie like that to complete strangers, where did she fall on the spectrum? She knew this was all part of the life they’d chosen, but it was still going to take a little getting used to.

Dean sauntered over to them, EMF meter just poking out of his shirt pocket.

“Anything?” Jess asked in a whisper.

“Kid’s bedroom.”

All three of them looked up and saw a small boy with mousy brown hair staring down at them.

“Creepy. Huh?” Dean asked. Jess silently agreed but didn’t want either brother to regret bringing her along, so she remained silent, willing to follow their lead.

“Well,” said Sam, placing his hand on the small of Jess’ back, “let’s go find out what’s going on.”

####

“What’s going on?” Jess asked as she switched on the light.

She stifled a yawn and frowned as Sam stood in the middle of the room next to another man she didn’t know.

“Oh, Jess. This is Dean, my brother.”

“Hi,” Jess replied with a puzzled smile. Dean raked his eyes over her and she suddenly regretted not having put on a dressing gown before she traipsed downstairs.

“Hey,” Dean responded. He turned to look at Sam and after a few wordless seconds, in which Jess was certain a complicated conversation had just taken place, Dean sighed and nodded.

Jess waited expectantly as Sam stepped forward and stood directly in front of her.

“Jess, there’s something I need to tell you. About me, us.” He paused and after a quick glance back at his brother he straightened up and took a deep breath to steel himself. “It’s about the family business…”


End file.
